Jean Bradley sat down in the empty booth at the steak joint. Victor Grant joined her only a minute later. His slicked-back blonde hair and fine black suit and tie made him look a professional businessman.

"Good to see you again, Ms. Bradley. I trust you're doing well," he said.

"With Brennon gone, I didn't expect to hear from you again."

"My entire relationship with Brennon was based on his with Uriah. With him gone, I now need another ally. That would be you. His most trusted confidante."

She nodded. "What is it you wanted to talk about?"

"It would appear that there's a new player in the game."

"I didn't know you thought of this as a game."

"It was merely an expression, Ms. Bradley. I was speaking of the many parties already involved in this. Uriah, the Brotherhood, the Champions, me. And now this mysterious Man in White."

"The Champions suspect he's working for Uriah."

"Interesting. Tell me more."

"He ambushed Huntress and Cannon when they went looking for a monster in the Bronx. If he's protecting it, it could be that he's in league with Uriah."

"Yes, that beast is another part of this puzzle I've been trying to solve."

"What do you know of it?"

"Not much. Only that it's quite large, and monstrous in appearance, although no detailed descriptions have yet to surface. But as far as I can tell it hasn't presented itself as a danger yet."

"What do you think its connection is to the Man in White?"

"That is what I want to find out. But I can tell you this much: I'm not so sure the Man in White is a part of Uriah's gang of demon-worshippers. There's something about him that tells me that he's far different from them. Also I can't think of a good reason for him to be a villain that masquerades as a hero. I will have to think more on this."

* * * * *

Huntress waited in silence atop the low building beneath the moonlit sky. Tigerstripe was positioned beside her as they took turns standing watch. Each of the Champions had been taking shifts every night guarding the place, in the hopes that eventually the Soul-Eater would reveal itself.

"Listen," Tigerstripe said suddenly. "I hear something. Over there." He pointed down to the street. Huntress saw it too. There was definitely something moving, and it was headed towards the Brotherhood complex. She drew an arrow. The thing let out a menacing growl, and a pair of red eyes pierced through the darkness and glittered at the pair of heroes.

Tigerstripe leaped down to engage the creature. Huntress pointed her flare arrow to the sky and released the bowstring. The resulting fireworks was the signal that would bring the Champions of Justice.

The beast lunged at Tigerstripe. He timed his next move just right, and raked his claws across the thing's face. It howled with pain and jumped back. It leaped back into the fray and this time put power into its attack. Tigerstripe was knocked to the floor. The beast opened its jaws and prepared to feast upon its human prey.

Tigerstripe forced his knee into the demon's belly, and tried to push the thing's snout aside with his hands. Its mouth was dripping with saliva, and just the touch of it burned through his costume and singed his skin. Huntress fired a pair of arrows that weakened the beast enough for Tigerstripe to pull himself free of its grasp.

The Soul-Eater leaped up from the ground and directed its jump at Huntress. But a wave of red fire enveloped the creature and dropped it to the ground in a heap. Huntress sighed with relief. Finally Burning Fury had arrived with reinforcements.

Despite its injuries, the creature would not go down until the last ounce of his energy had been depleted. And as long as the darkness was on its side, that was never going to happen.

At that moment, a bright light illuminated the area, startling the creature. At the heart of this light, was the woman called Luminary. The field of light that her body was able to generate was powerful enough to combat the darkness, and the effects it had on the Soul-Eater.

Cannon fired a concussive blast that caused the creature to stumble to the side. It turned and attempted to run away, but Tigerstripe jumped in its path, and kicked the beast in the face. Burning Fury hit the demon with everything he had, leaving it a smoking pile of ash.

"Thanks for your help," Burning Fury said.

"Anytime," replied Luminary, before flying away.

* * * * *

'The Champions of Justice are starting to prove to be a worthy adversary," remarked Uriah with a hint of frustration in his voice, after he heard the news of the Soul-Eater's demise.

"They are amateurs," replied Dark Spirit, who was Uriah's eldest and most experienced student.

"Indeed, but their abilities make them...a problem."

"But not a problem you can't handle. Shall I call upon the Shadows of Sin?"

"No. There are easier ways of defeating our enemies."

"What are you thinking, Master?"

He grinned wickedly. "Sometimes the best way to get rid of your enemies is to let them kill each other."

Posted: 07 Aug 2012 23:12

Registered UserCurrently Offline

Posts: 2949
Join Date: Jan 2008

it hadn't even crossed my mind to use Luminary. I think against creatures like that she would be a big help.

So the Soul-Eater belonged to Uriah but not the Man in White?

Now I'm wondering who the Shadows of Sin are and what they have to do with Uriah. Seems the demon has endless resources.